1
as in truthful
being in the habit of telling the truth
at least the weatherman is honest and doesn't pretend to be able to predict the unpredictable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in honorable
conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue
an area populated by honest and industrious farm folk
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ethical
following the accepted rules of moral conduct
an honest customer who doesn't hesitate to tell the cashier she's given him too much change
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in genuine
free from any intent to deceive or impress others
the sort of person who helps others from an honest desire to do good
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in candid
free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions
appreciate your honest friends, who tell you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in conscientious
guided by or in accordance with one's sense of right and wrong
made an honest attempt to return the money she had found in the cafeteria
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in authentic
being exactly as appears or as claimed
a restaurant serving honest down-home Southern cooking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
an honest effort
honest work
an honest answer
honest communication
open communication
transparent communication
heartfelt communication
upfront communication
clear communication
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of honest
Be honest and forthright, because your Leo horoscope for August 2025 begins with Leo season strengthening your first house of selfhood, self-perception, and identity.
—
Liz Simmons, StyleCaster, 28 July 2025
If Washington truly steps back from its soft-power puppetry, the world might finally be forced to negotiate on honest terms, not staged scripts.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 27 July 2025
First, the governor must have a complete and honest DOGE audit of his executive branch, followed by one of the legislative branch.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2025
That meant a lot, because, to be honest, there weren’t many Black writers around me pursuing literature as a career.
—Kansas City Star, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for honest
Liz Simmons, StyleCaster, 28 July 2025
If Washington truly steps back from its soft-power puppetry, the world might finally be forced to negotiate on honest terms, not staged scripts.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 27 July 2025
First, the governor must have a complete and honest DOGE audit of his executive branch, followed by one of the legislative branch.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2025
That meant a lot, because, to be honest, there weren’t many Black writers around me pursuing literature as a career.
—Kansas City Star, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for honest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honest
Adjective
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Johnson, however, is questioning if Maxwell would offer truthful testimony.—
Mychael Schnell,
The Hill,
23 July 2025
-
The Press has to learn to be truthful, and not rely on sources that probably don’t even exist.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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Its own sly twist casts Robert Mitchum—the original Cady—as the elderly, honorable police lieutenant Elgart, and Gregory Peck, 1962’s Bowden, as Cady’s defense attorney.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
29 July 2025
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To this attack, some men have responded by lending their support to individuals that embody none of those honorable traits that men aspire to internalize.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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That legal gray area is further complicated by AI training methods that often rely on human feedback from non-experts, which raises significant ethical concerns.—
Wes Kilgore,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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The primary concerns should be whether a lawyer is competent and ethical and whether another state’s licensing processes reasonably assure that.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That is the only way Trump can be a genuine peacemaker in the Middle East.—
ZAHA HASSAN,
Foreign Affairs,
29 July 2025
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Having vowed to run a more aggressive general election campaign after losing last month’s Democratic mayoral primary to Mamdani by a 12-percentage-point margin, Cuomo even questioned whether his opponent’s condolences for the NYPD officer killed in Monday’s shooting were genuine.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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In a candid conversation, the actor unpacks character building, creative freedom, and the importance of playing roles that resonate.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Aug. 2025
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The shock of that question may yield a candid answer.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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New hires can't learn by example because there's no one to watch, and conscientious peers can't see when newcomers are struggling.—
David Meade,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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Each one should be the result of a deliberate, conscientious decision by the only person elected to make it.—
Sreedhar Potarazu,
Baltimore Sun,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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Why not visit Germany right now to experience firsthand history-in-the-making, but at the same time bring back authentic Wall remnants?—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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Use the new moon in your sign on June 25 to set intentions around community, joy, and authentic friendship.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, he's displayed reliable hands and a crisp release, looking the part throughout individual drills.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
3 Aug. 2025
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We’re buoyed by recent news that Gov. Hochul has directed the New York Power Authority to build a zero-emission nuclear power plant, and is clear-eyed about how a lack of reliable, affordable power will jeopardize the pro-business climate her administration has been working to foster.—
Linda Baran,
New York Daily News,
3 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Honest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honest. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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